Buffanblu turn back Warriors for 25th title
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
KEA'AU, Hawai'i — The 2004 Punahou boys volleyball team put its stamp on the Buffanblu's state championship history by capturing the school's first state title in four years, and 25th overall, last night.
At Kamehameha Schools-Hawai'i (Kea'au, Big Island) WEDNESDAY First Round Kamehameha def. Moloka'i, 25-17, 25-13 Kaua'i def. Mililani, 31-29, 25-18 Kohala def. Nanakuli, 25-11, 25-22 Kahuku def. Kealakehe, 25-22, 25-19 THURSDAY Consolation bracket Kealakehe def. Nanakuli, 25-20, 26-28, 25-23 Quarterfinals No. 1 Punahou def. Kohala, 25-8, 25-13 No. 4 Hana def. Kahuku, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20 Kamehameha def. No. 3 Kalaheo, 25-18, 25-10 No. 2 Waiakea def. Kaua'i, 25-11, 25-20 FRIDAY Moloka'i def. Mililani (8-8), 25-15, 18-25, 25-23 Kahuku def. Kohala (15-6), 25-22, 26-24 Kaua'i def. Kalaheo (13-2), 25-23, 23-25, 25-18 Semifinals Punahou def. Hana, 25-9, 25-9 Kamehameha def. Waiakea, 25-18, 25-15 YESTERDAY Seventh place — Moloka'i def. Kealakehe 18-25, 26-24, 25-19 Fifth place — Kaua'i def. Kahuku 25-17, 25-19 Third place — Waiakea def. Hana 25-16, 25-18 Championship — Punahou def. Kamehameha,Ê25-21, 17-25, 25-21
The Buffanblu beat Kamehameha in an all-Interscholastic League of Honolulu final, 25-21, 17-25, 25-21, in the HHSAA/Nissan Boys State Volleyball Championships before an estimated crowd of 1,250 at the Kamehameha-Hawai'i Campus gymnasium.
NISSAN BOYS STATE VOLLEYBALL
"We needed to bring our legacy back," Punahou junior middle blocker Kealii Frank said. "None of us had been to states before, we wanted to bring it back."
Punahou's last title was in 2000, and it hadn't qualified for the state tournament since then. This was the third time ILH champ and top-seeded Buffanblu (16-0) and Warriors (14-4) met this season, with Punahou winning all three times.
ILH teams have won the past 26 HHSAA championships.
It was a "dog-fight" as Punahou coach Peter Balding described it, with neither team exceptionally dominant.
"They knew where our weaknesses were and they knew where our strengths were," Balding said. "They changed their firepower to neutralize our firepower and it took us some time to adjust."
As expected, the teams played it close early on, with neither team extending more than a three-point lead. With the Buffanblu down 17-16, they went on a 9-4 run to end the game, with kills by Frank, Spencer McLachlin and TJ Zabriskie, two blocks, and four Kamehameha errors.
Kamehameha led the entire second game, with the biggest difference its blocking game. Kamehameha, which didn't put up a single block in the first game, recorded five in the second game.
"The last time we played them, we ran the middle to death, and they were prepared for that (this time)," McLachlin said. "It kind of flustered us."
Kamehameha coach Pono Ma'a said the Warriors knew they couldn't shut Punahou's middle blockers down completely, but were hoping to at least slow them down.
"We came up with a lineup we thought we could match up better with them," he said. "We were finally able to get it going in the second game."
In the third game, the teams again traded points, but down 7-6, Punahou scored five straight points to give it an 11-7 lead. Kamehameha answered with a five-point run of its own to take the lead, 12-11.
"That's just good side-out volleyball," Punahou senior co-captain Ka'ohu Berg-Hee said. "You're only as good as when you're struggling."
Frank, who finished with a team-high 10 kills, with five blocks, said, "It was horrible to be on the bench in those times."
Again, the Buffanblu went on a run to give them a 19-16 lead, but the Warriors tied the game again by scoring three straight.
"That was when I first got worried that our season would be over," McLachlin said. "Because they were playing so good."
Punahou outscored Kamehameha 6-2 to end the match.
"At the end of the second game, Peter Balding looked us in the eyes and said 'The only difference we can make this game is to want it more,' " Berg-Hee said.
Third Place
Waiakea def. Hana, 25-16, 25-18: Waiakea senior middle blocker Jamie Napua Cabatu had eight kills to lead the Warriors (19-2) past Hana (12-2).
Fifth Place
Kaua'i def. Kahuku, 25-17, 25-19: Senior outside hitter Vaafuti Tavana had a match-high 11 kills and five digs to lead Kaua'i (11-1) past Kahuku (14-3).
Consolation
Moloka'i def. Kealakehe, 18-25, 26-24, 25-19: Moloka'i senior Albert Dudoit had a team-high nine kills to lead the Farmers (11-3) over Kealakehe's (13-7).
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
